Telegram-herald., 1887-12-04

H YES. truth Is stranger than
"a nction This is 80 true. 50 sadly.
" unfortunately true that most Of
us whose trade Is = % write.
would far rather write fiction than truth.
because few conscientious pens are able 70
do Justice % TIE lovely goddess whose name
Il stsrnal lt was just two years ago ms
week that / Was spending feS days 10
Montgomery. Alabama when | Was invited
hy young TREND 70 90 cut for days
shooting on the family plantation fe"
niles Up the river There were three or
four gentlemen In the party and one,
young lawyer. whom | was very certain
had met IN the North. his name. however.
was not familiar FOR the very good reason,
as Afterwards learned. that II was
assumed He Was bright. handsome
young fellow bat bis face bore half sad.
bali vild expression which. but for The
restless, nervous. rowing OF bis big brown
eyes would have been wonderfully fasci-
mating. On the way out 70 the plantation
tried % draw him into conversation about
the North and told him l was positive
had seen him before He simply replied
Perhaps 50. and called my attention to
the splendid partridge cover We were ap-
proachlng. When We got sheld and
the dogs began TO work be was
alert aud seemed 20 enjoy the
sport kssnly. We flushed several coyeys
Of quail. which we ais down South call
partridges. aad Msrk-which Was really bis
given name-brought down several birds.
We had a long tramp and found Marx
most cnmpanionabls fellow. The birds bad
scattered, and on OR way up to the old
~quart<rs'' called bis attention to what We
thought Vas pigeon sitting in 'hs top of a
sall psrsimmon tree. Tho distance was q
long one. and plsyfuliy offered to wager
him that be could not bring down the
bird. lie brought his splendid iovl-
Ing piscs quickly to his shoulder
aud was about to pull. when across the
hsld on the balny AIR foated the notes of
the bird saying plainly, "Aggie, ""A-sg-i-s;
be lowered bis gun and again the mocking
bird whistled. "Aggie-poor. poor AgsisF'
The effect on hira was magical. He dropped
bis gnn to the ground and tremDled from
head 70 foot as he repeated: Poor Aggie-"
He turned 20 look a. me TOR moment
and bis face WAS ghastly pale. There was
almost sn unearthiy glitter in bis brown
eyes. and could see Is he strode away that
hiswhole frame WAS tsitching convuisively.
watched him a. be walked quickly away
toward where our horses we're tethered. and
noted that he made long detour around
The persimnaon tree where the mocking
bird stiil remained. When he was out OF
sight picked up bis gun and followed
toward ths quarters. l passed almost
directly under the tree and the mockiHg
bird-which Ne had mistaken for pigeon
and which was evidently trained singer
that had escaped from its csge,--only noted
my approach by hopping to the lower
branches and continuing It's notes OF
~Axxis-poor, poor Agile" They were
startlingly distinct after the stsrnge scene
hsd Just Witnessed. and walked thought
fully 10 the rendezvous to swat the
Others. When sI came up it was found
that our friends horse was gone. This
seemed 10 uestle our host q little aud, as
had my companions gun was, Of course,
Obliged 20 repeat what | had seen and
heard. Then I learned from the others
that he had been stopping in town for two
or three months. that be seemed to be a
wealthy. wsii-bred N0rthernsr, with nothing
20 do. but 20 xiii tine. which he often did
in the most eccentric ways. Arriving at ths
city We learned at hs hotel thar he bad
xailoped into tas yard. had szcitedly call
al for ais bail. settled the amount aud had
saken The train fox the North. OF course
his singular Disappearance was the topic oi
conversation among his friends. and when
nv time 10 leave came is ras unanimously
decided that should take The gun he bad
left behind and endeavor to 6nd. somewhere
in he North, Mark Addison-sltbough ~
we're ali convinced that Addison was not
bis real name.
A year $50 last Summer I was fishing
hunting and loa6nz in tie guAint and pic
tarssaue little hanies called Old Nunisinz :
on the shores Of Lake superior facing Grand
Island. and lust bebisd The fsr-famec
Pictured Rocks 81 the Grsat Lake. 0Ds
plesssat morning We sailed down 10 th'
rceks and on cur Esv back lsnded for luncf
under the les 81 TIE island thst fovmi
Nanising's perfect hsrhor. I stroilei sion.
the shore a littis va and soon Fan across
modern canoe drawn up upon the sane
While little rag % under the shade of
tree lay young mar. sslssp. Ia his hsns
be he'd csbiuet paotograph. Soneih.n.
about his anpsarance struck ne ~ singular
" aaiiar sud walked up and sranne,
his bron sd fsee more closely. Il,
locked Ike nv eccentric friend o
the Sonth. snrrepliiiousiy COS
peep st the phots gram IA his hand.
vas the face ofs brasetts vita large ms
trcus eyes. Beneath the pictar- n inl
we're TIE words Poor Axzie. % cours
my curic.iss wks srou.ed md 3eserninsi
II pc-zlble. - knew his story. I s-sksu>'
hin. renewed chr acaasintsnoe and spok'
rosnt~sIy Of cur strange separation teiiinl
him hsd seps his gun a. this tine ar.
srhpsa - rskarn Il 70 him Il hs would -